Little Horse, Big Heart

Corazon de la Montana taught his first group of students in EFLC work. Corazon, black and brown in color, small in size and BIG in energy and heart touched each person. Before the group arrived I placed Corazon in the round pen. He stood and watched as the cars slowly drove down the long driveway.

Once all of the participants were seated outside of the round pen Corazon walked over to them and stood silently. Slowly his eyes gazed upon each person blinking occasionally. I asked the group what they were experiencing with Corazon; no one spoke. They all continued to stare at Corazon as if they were in a trance. I waited another few minutes and asked again, a few people offered a few words such as powerful, intense, heart warming, penetrating and big.

One at a time, each person entered the round pen to engage in Active EFLC work with Corazon. We had spent four days during the Level Two EFLC Apprenticeship program studying and practicing the key concepts in shifting from reflective work to active work. Each participant understood the importance of aligning one’s heart, intention, focus and body energy while working with a horse.

A few individuals requested that I stay in the round pen while they worked with Corazon. As they would enter the round pen Corazon would keep one ear on me, and then move directly past me to connect with the participant. He stood and waited until each participant began to work with him. He mirrored to each participant the power of his or her intention and alignment as he offered them exactly what they had consciously or unconsciously asked.

Another participant was reticent to go in with Corazon, she finally did. She said she just wanted to say hello and that was enough. Hesitantly she reached out for him, and he accepted her touch. She then, without question, continued on with Corazon. He did everything she asked and helped her to see when her intention or focus was not clear as they moved around the pen.

Another participant requested to work alone with Corazon. She had entered the round pen, centered herself at the gate, walked softly over to him and placed her hand on his withers. His head turned to her. She and Corazon then proceeded to move around the pen. She did not make him lunge for her as she had learned to do as a horse trainer (she is well trained in Parelli and Leslie Desmond processes).

Instead, with Corazon by her side, they moved from walk to a trot and shifted directions at different times, all without a halter or tools, all with heart based intention and energy. She later told us how she had found a lost part of herself, the part that knew what it was like to simply enjoy and play with horses–the part that dances with horses.

I am proud of my little brown mustang. He was curious, generous, and confident in his presence and flowed with each person beautifully. On some level he understood what we were doing and what he could offer to help each person expand, grow, and feel ignited within. He knew whom he was working with and what to teach them. He was relaxed and fully present for the group.

I was equally proud to see the growth in each participant. They were fully practicing the tools by working with their internal landscape as they were with Corazon. Each one demonstrated a breakthrough in their growth and a deep understanding of the progression from relationship and connection to movement and flow. I still marvel at the empowerment and joy that I saw in each person. My heart is filled with gratitude for my mustang and each individual who worked with him. It has taken me to a new level of seeing and experiencing potential in humans and in horses. Corazon de la Montana (Heart of the Mountains) helped each person find a piece of her heart here in the Colorado Rocky Mountains!